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theguardian.com
‘Sludge in the system’: myriad problems stymie Labour’s 1.5m new homes pledge
Soaring cost of building materials, lack of affordability and planning bottlenecks are some of the obstacles thwarting housing targetAt South and City College in Birmingham, dozens of young people clad in hi-vis vests and hard hats are building mini-walls and plastering half-formed rooms.Some weave in and out of stacks of bricks with wheelbarrows, while others use spirit levels to check the walls are straight and flat. In a few days time, these walls will be demolished and the plastering scraped away, for a new class to come in and try their hands. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Shoplifters aren't just bad to the bone or mums stealing nappies. The truth is more complex| Emily Kenway
Speaking to career thieves as part of my research, I learned that childhood abuse, a life in care and little education has led them to this placeEmily Kenway is a social policy doctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh and author of Who Cares: the Hidden Crisis of Caregiving and How We Solve ItRyan* is 25 and he’s a shoplifter. He’s good at it too – about four times a week, he makes “no small money” by stealing and reselling goods from large department stores where security is limited. He’s strategic: he makes sure he’s clean and tidy, and keeps aware of CCTV. He usually steals just one or two high-value items to limit the risk of detection – designer garments or a small speaker, which he slips into a bag as he walks around the shop, before browsing a little longer and exiting.His actions are part of recent record highs in shoplifting offences. From March 2024 to March 2025, there were 530,643 offences recorded in England and Wales. This is a 20% rise on the previous year and the highest figure since current police recording practices began in 2003. There has been ample media coverage of this spike, helped by the recent scandal of a Waitrose worker being sacked after confronting a man stealing Easter eggs. Retail workers are suffering on the frontline; in its 2026 crime survey, the British Retail Consortium found that theft was “a major trigger for violence and abuse of staff”, leading the trade union for retail workers to warn that “shoplifting is not a victimless crime”. Meanwhile, the claim that Britain’s shoplifting “epidemic” symbolises a wider descent into “lawlessness” has become a familiar one in the media.Emily Kenway is a social policy doctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh and author of Who Cares: the Hidden Crisis of Caregiving and How We Solve It Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump: Shooter at White House press dinner had multiple weapons, one officer shot
Trump, seated next to first lady Melania Trump, was quickly surrounded by Secret Service agents, while many attendees ducked under their tables.
cnbc.com
Trump cancels U.S. envoy trip to Pakistan for Iran war negotiations: 'If they want to talk, all they have to do is call'
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been expected to arrive in Islamabad on Saturday.
theguardian.com
California’s jet fuel supply drops to three-year low as Middle East turmoil squeezes global oil market
Industry analysts say fuel price surge could lead to canceled flight routes that could snarl travelers’ plansCalifornia’s jet fuel supply has dropped to a level not seen since 2023, as turmoil in the Middle East continues to squeeze the global oil market.As of 17 April, the state’s jet fuel stock was just over 2.6m barrels, in comparison to 3.2m barrels two years prior, according to the California energy commission (CEC), which publishes a refinery stocks data dashboard. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
From car and phone to tractor owners, a populist wave is rising to end the 'captive' repair economy
"Right to repair" legislation is an issue that political candidates across the U.S. have made part of their affordability messaging.
cnbc.com
Some young Americans scale back dating as costs and apps add pressure, survey shows
Dating is becoming a financial decision for young Americans, with higher costs and paid apps leading many to cut back on dates.
cnbc.com
$300 bags, $150 earrings, $60 hats: Mid-priced products are a status symbol for young shoppers
A growing number of Gen Zers and millennial consumers with disposable income are shifting away from both luxury- and discount-priced retail items alike.
cnbc.com
36-year-old left the U.S. for China—now pays $1,000 rent and $100 for groceries for family of 4: It's my 'version of the American Dream’
A decade ago, Bradley Krae left the United States to teach English in Shenzhen, China. He spends less money and says the has found his own version of the American Dream there.
cnbc.com
AI talent war: Software industry is a new target as top executives jump ship to OpenAI
Software giants are seeing their worst stock performance in years on fears of AI disruption. Now they have a new problem.
theguardian.com
Facing AI and a tough job market, gen Z turns to entrepreneurship: ‘I have to prove myself’
As AI erases the bottom rungs of the corporate ladder, some gen Z workers skip the entry level to become their own CEOsWhen Ashley Terrell graduated from the University of Hawaii in 2024, she planned to find a job in marketing, maybe for a tech company. She had a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a college résumé that included a student marketing job for Red Bull. But after months of applying, her only offer was to work in the power tools section at Home Depot. “It was quite a shock,” she told the Guardian. “I searched for jobs every single day in that Home Depot bathroom.”Terrell’s generation is entering the workforce in a particularly unlucky moment. Hiring in the United States has slumped to its lowest rate since 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While workers of all ages are feeling the pressure of an uncertain economy, it’s gen Z who is the most pessimistic about their job prospects: entry-level jobs are the most vulnerable to impacts from artificial intelligence, and some younger workers are seeing their careers stall before they have even started. Terrell felt she was not just competing with other people for jobs. “Especially with marketing, a lot of people think it can be replaced with AI,” she said. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Lure of being a social media chef means youngsters forgoing classic training, Michelin star cook warns
Industry figures say that going viral is no replacement for the classic route of apprenticeships and competitionsScroll through your timeline of choice and it won’t be long until you land on a video posted by a social media chef trying to send their recipes viral.Such is the popularity of cooking videos that everyone from Michelin star masters to self-taught beginners like Brooklyn Beckham are setting up tripods on their kitchen counters to capture the perfect cut, cuission or crust on their culinary creations. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
California’s wildlife bridge became a target for the right. Now it’s eyeing the finish line
Unhindered by critics who called the $114m project ‘a bridge to nowhere’, a gigantic throughway allowing animals to cross a busy freeway is close to completionAtop a gigantic wildlife bridge in California this week, butterflies filled the air. A red-tailed hawk sailed above as a slight breeze ruffled the 6,000 native plants, including poppies and purple sage. You’d never guess that below the quiet expanse of rocks and plants, a 10-lane freeway ferries 400,000 cars each day.When the project broke ground four years ago, enthusiasm was high. The wildlife crossing in northern Los Angeles county would be the largest of its kind in the world, providing safe passage for mountain lions, bobcats and lizards. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Unlucky chancellor? Iran shock hits Reeves just as UK seemed to turn corner
The economy and public finances were on the right path, bond yields were falling, interest rates likely to drop further … then came the US-Israeli attackDonald Trump’s war on Iran is “folly”; shadow chancellor Mel Stride should be “lined up for the sack”; and the Liberal Democrat Daisy Cooper’s plan for managing fuel shortages is “fundamentally economically illiterate”.Rachel Reeves has always relished a political fight, but in recent days she has been swinging at her opponents with what looks very much like enjoyment. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Will I ever retire? It doesn’t look like it | Dave Schilling
Being financially equipped to retire feels like a fantasy. And yet plenty of people who could do so are avoiding it“Retirement.” A word I can hardly spell anymore, it seems so abstract and impossible – like a science-fiction concept from a tattered old novel. In the classic film Blade Runner, “retirement” is the term used to describe the brutal ritual of future cops executing rogue androids called replicants (which auto-correct just tried to turn into “Republicans” against my will, though maybe Google Docs has a Freudian slip function now).The Blade Runner version of retirement strikes me as more feasible for modern humans – getting blasted by a jackbooted assassin with a phallic-looking blaster – than the traditional process. Actual retirement – cocktails on the beach in between golf games – is as distant as the farthest known star. As glamorous as my life must seem to you, dear reader, it is not that at all. Like most creative types who never bothered to learn to code, I scrape by every month, white-knuckling until the next heaven-sent direct deposit. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Nigel is mad to accept his money’: who is Christopher Harborne, the mystery billionaire bankrolling Reform?
A crypto tycoon is giving record-breaking amounts to Farage’s party. But little is known about his motivesShortly before Christmas 2022, Chakrit Sakunkrit, owner of the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary on the Thai island of Koh Samui, invited 200 guests to spend a few days celebrating his 60th birthday. One sultry afternoon, Sakunkrit and a small group gathered around a table near the shore, surrounded by the burgundy foliage of Good Luck plants. To his right, dressed down in a polo shirt, sat Nigel Farage.Since Brexit marked the achievement of his life’s work three years earlier, Farage had fizzled. Even some of his supporters had pronounced him finished. Now, with the Conservatives in disarray after Liz Truss’s disastrous budget that September, Farage was hinting at a still more ambitious project: to make himself prime minister. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Athens cannot operate as a giant hotel’: mayor vows to rescue capital from overtourism
Haris Doukas warns that with 700,000 residents and 8 million tourists, people are being pushed out of their neighbourhoodsIn the heart of ancient Athens, on narrow streets and around archaeological sites, visitor groups appear to be everywhere, snaking their way behind tour guides.At other times, officials would have welcomed such scenes. But for Haris Doukas, the socialist mayor who is determined to reclaim the capital’s congested city centre for its citizens, the start of the tourist season leaves much of its historic heart at risk of “over-saturation.” Entire neighbourhoods, he believes, are in danger of losing their authenticity because of uncontrolled tourist development. Continue reading...
bbc.com
England shirt overpriced, says £40k kits collector
Collector Les Motherby says classic England shirts are often better value than new ones.
theguardian.com
Your UK pension is no longer safe from inheritance tax: what should you do?
Many people are taking action now, from taking family on holiday to paying off grandchildren’s student loans or giving tax-free giftsMany of us are still getting our heads around the price increases and tax tweaks that took effect this month, but you might want to give some thought to next April.Some big changes to pensions, savings and investments are coming down the track, and there are things you can do now and in the coming months to get ready for them. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Rescue centre facing eviction makes funding appeal
Redhead Rescues Animal Sanctuary in Northamptonshire wants to buy its own land.
theguardian.com
Inside Chornobyl: 40 years after disaster, nuclear site still at risk in Russia’s war
In February 2025, a cheap Russian drone tore through Chornobyl’s confinement shelter. Workers warn the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident is not safe yetThe dosimeter clipped to your chest ticks faster the moment you step off the designated path inside the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Step back, and it slows again – an invisible line between clean ground and contamination.Above rises the “new safe confinement” (NSC) – the largest movable steel structure ever built, taller than the Statue of Liberty, wider than the Colosseum, its arch curving overhead like an aircraft hangar built for giant planes. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Altman apologizes after OpenAI failed to alert police before fatal Canada shooting
OpenAI said the company had identified an account using abuse-detection efforts, but determined at the time it didn’t meet threshold for legal referralThe head of OpenAI has written a letter apologizing that his company didn’t alert law enforcement about the online behavior of a person who shot and killed eight people in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.In the letter posted on Friday, Sam Altman expressed his deepest condolences to the entire community. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
New global panel aims to accelerate move away from fossil fuels
Scientists and economists will help countries develop plans to reduce dependence on oil, gas and coalA panel of global experts has been launched to provide scientific input for countries that want to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and manage the growing risks of high oil prices, geopolitical conflict and extreme weather damage.The initiative was announced on the opening day of a groundbreaking climate action meeting in Santa Marta, where the Colombian hosts set out a draft roadmap for their own national energy transition. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Intel's stock has best day since 1987, soaring 24% as chipmaker shows signs of a turnaround
Shares of Intel have more than doubled this year on optimism that backing from the government will help the company's position in AI.
cnbc.com
Nvidia stock closes at record, pushing market cap past $5 trillion
Nvidia's stock closed at its first record since October, as a rally in Intel pushed chipmakers higher.
bbc.com
China car giant BYD says it can thrive without US
With the price of fuel rising China's BYD says it is positioning itself to benefit from the global shift away from fossil fuels.
cnbc.com
Nuclear reactor company X-energy shares surge 27% as AI drives interest in its IPO
Advanced nuclear reactor company X-energy began trading Friday as the AI boom and electrification broadly spark a flurry of interest in the nuclear industry.
cnbc.com
Clock ticks on Spirit Airlines as bondholders weigh Trump bailout. Here's what could happen next
President Trump has said the government could buy Spirit.
cnbc.com
Kushner, Witkoff — not Vance — heading to Pakistan for 'direct talks' with Iran, White House says
President Donald Trump said he is in no rush to make a peace deal, claiming the Iran war has harmed stocks and oil prices less than he expected.
cnbc.com
Oil prices mixed as U.S. and Iran expected to hold talks in Pakistan
The talks would come after a previous efforts at negotiations fell apart.
cnbc.com
Buying chip stocks is getting pricey. Traders don't care
The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) tracking the sector is up more than 30% this month.
bbc.com
US justice department drops probe into Fed chairman Jerome Powell
President Donald Trump had accused Powell of improper cost overruns in renovating the Fed's building.
cnbc.com
How a new Amazon-backed Hollywood production startup deploys AI for speed and cost-cutting
A new AI-powered hybrid Hollywood startup backed by AWS is betting that cutting-edge production tech can cut costs, speed up filming and bring jobs back to LA.
cnbc.com
DOJ ends Powell probe, lifts hurdle for Trump’s Fed chair nominee Warsh
President Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had been effectively blocked because of the investigation.
cnbc.com
20,000 job cuts at Meta, Microsoft raise concern that AI-driven labor crisis is here
Meta said it's cutting 10% of its workforce, just as Microsoft announced that it's offering employee buyouts for the first time in its 51-year history.
cnbc.com
Regeneron weighs overseas price for Otarmeni, gene therapy for rare type of hearing loss
Regeneron will make its newly approved gene therapy available for free in the U.S. The company hasn't yet decided how much it will charge in other countries.
cnbc.com
Google to invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic as search giant spreads its AI bets
Anthropic said its latest agreement with Google expands on a longstanding partnership between the two companies.
theguardian.com
TikTok and Visa launch debit card to speed payouts to UK creators
Creator card is designed for people making money through TikTok Live, some of whom complain of payment delaysTikTok and Visa have launched a debit card for content creators in the UK which they say will allow people to quickly access their earnings from the platform.The creator card is designed for the growing numbers of people making money through TikTok Live, a livestreaming feature where creators receive virtual gifts from viewers that are later converted into cash. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Bessent defends U.S. dollar swap lines as Iran war harms global finances
President Donald Trump, asked on CNBC's "Squawk Box" this week about a possible UAE swap line, appeared to say he is in favor of it.
cnbc.com
European stocks fall as ceasefire optimism fades; Novo jumps after Lilly weight loss pill prescription data
European stock markets finished broadly lower on Friday, as uncertainty over a potential U.S.-Iran peace deal weighs on investor sentiment.
theguardian.com
‘Look, no hands’: China chases the driverless dream at Beijing car show
As domestic sales slow, manufacturers are investing in AI and seeking growth in technology and in overseas marketsAt the world’s biggest car fair, which opened in Beijing on Friday, there were hundreds of manufacturers, more than 1,000 vehicles, hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts – and hardly anyone behind a wheel.China’s car companies have cornered the domestic electric vehicle market, and are increasingly visible on the global stage. Now they are turning their attention to what they are betting is the future of mobility: autonomous driving. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK eases airline penalties as jet fuel shortages threaten flights
Carriers will retain airport slots if they cancel services as passengers are urged to continue with travel plansPenalties on airlines that cancel UK flights because of jet fuel shortages have been eased, it has emerged, as the government issued fresh advice to reassure the public they can still fly and should stick to travel plans.Airlines that cancel owing to a lack of fuel will not lose their rights to valuable takeoff and landing slots at busy airports, which can be forfeited when flights fail to operate over a period. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
AMD shares soar 12% on no company news. Here's what has investors so excited
Intel's strong quarter is driving sharp gains in another chipmaker.
theguardian.com
Revealed: Axel Springer skipped due diligence before £575m Telegraph takeover
Sources say German group may struggle to recoup its investment as titles shift to less profitable modelsAxel Springer did not complete due diligence on the Telegraph before sealing its £575m takeover, with sources saying the German media company could struggle to recoup its eye-watering investment as the titles shift toward less-profitable digital subscribers.To wrap up the deal quickly, Mathias Döpfner, the chief executive of Axel Springer, decided to forgo the usual extensive due diligence process to vet the value and prospects of a company, according to multiple sources. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tech bros: it’s time to challenge Silicon Valley’s saviour complex | Fiona Katauskas
They’re in a league of their ownSee more of Fiona Katauskas’s cartoons here Continue reading...
bbc.com
Island's inflation rate is 2.7%, new figures show
Statistics Jersey says there have been "sharp increases" in some energy prices.
theguardian.com
Stock markets will fall, Bank of England deputy governor says
Sarah Breeden predicts ‘adjustment’ due to elevated risk including private credit and highly valued AI stocksBusiness live – latest updatesRecord-high global stock markets do not reflect the risks in the global economy, and will fall back, a deputy governor at the Bank of England has said.Sarah Breeden, the deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank, fears that macroeconomic risks are not fully priced into equity markets. She cited concerns about private credit markets, highly valued artificial intelligence stocks, and other “risky valuations”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tokyo workers encouraged to wear shorts to cut energy costs and keep cool
Officials hope more casual attire for public servants will save electricity during Iran war as summer heat approachesPublic servants working for the Tokyo metropolitan government are being encouraged to swap their suits for shorts this summer to combat sweltering heat and rising energy costs caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.Inspired by Japan’s Cool Biz energy-saving initiative, Tokyo officials hope the measure will cut dependence on air conditioning. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Germany’s economy was set to rebound. But soaring energy prices have derailed Europe's biggest comeback
Fiscal spending is now a critical tailwind for Germany's economy, as the Iran war hammers its growth outlook.
theguardian.com
‘I’m spending my house deposit savings to pay off my postgrad student loan’
Lucy O’Brien was shocked when she discovered how high interest rates were leading to ballooning debtLike many of my drowning-in-debt “plan 2” student loan comrades, I didn’t think twice about diving straight into a master’s degree, bright-eyed and fresh out of my undergraduate course in 2021.To say I was naive to the additional financial burden would be an understatement. Even less did I think that, four years after finishing my master’s, I’d be using the savings money I’ve built up – which I’d planned to put towards a deposit to buy my first property – to pay back my postgraduate loan in full. And yet here I am. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ban fur farming or risk a new pandemic | Neil Vora
Banning an industry that is brutal to animals could be one of the most consequential public-health measures in decadesEvery year, millions of captive animals are gassed or electrocuted and then turned into multithousand-dollar fur coats. Though the industry has shrunk considerably in recent years, it poses a disproportionately large risk to human health. There’s a real chance that the next pandemic could be incubated within the cramped confines of a fur farm, and banning the cruel and senseless practice could be one of the most consequential public-health measures in decades.Fur farms are hell. Like other “factory” farms, these facilities confine thousands of animals in close quarters, crammed into tiny wire cages. Often, the animals can barely move around, living out their sad, stationary lives atop a pool of their own waste. Some species, like red foxes, begin chewing the tails off of their young, or even killing them.Neil Vora is the executive director of the Preventing Pandemics at the Source Coalition and led New York City’s Covid-19 contact tracing program from 2020 to 2021 Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump warns of ‘big tariff’ if UK doesn’t drop digital services tax on U.S. tech firms
The tax is a 2% levy on the revenues of search engines, social media services and online marketplaces that derive value from U.K. users.
theguardian.com
How frustration at Cop stalemates inspires first global talks on phasing out fossil fuels
‘Coalition of the willing’ gathers in Colombia to try to bypass petrostate blockages of Cop summits and chart fresh pathThe world’s first Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels conference, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, takes place in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24 to 29 April. A “coalition of the willing” – including 54 countries and various subnational governments, civil society groups and academics – will try to chart a new path to powering the world with low-carbon energy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Porsche is selling its Bugatti Rimac stake and walking away from Rimac
The automotive industry has grappled with mounting pressure to consolidate amid slowing growth, rising costs and intensifying margin pressure.
bbc.com
Which airlines are cancelling flights to the UK - and what can you do?
Airlines are putting up prices and cancelling flights in response to higher jet fuel prices.
theguardian.com
‘Dumb mistake’: Mayfair club Annabel’s gave managers bonus from staff service charge
Exclusive: Owner says private members venue is changing policy after revolt over division of pre-Christmas moneyThe restaurant tycoon Richard Caring has admitted his private members club Annabel’s made a “dumb mistake” after staff revolted over the use of more than £70,000 of their pre-Christmas service charge takings to pay managers’ bonuses.Just one table of diners at the exclusive Mayfair venue, which has hosted celebrities, financiers and aristocrats ranging from Kate Moss and Harry Styles to the late queen, can spend more than £10,000 in an evening, according to workers. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The Tech Download: How Apple's new chief could shake things up
CNBC’s Jon Fortt, who began covering Apple in 2000 when Steve Jobs dropped the “interim” from his CEO title, shared his thoughts on the appointment.
cnbc.com
Global stock markets are too inflated and will fall, top Bank of England official warns
The Bank of England expects “an adjustment” in equity markets, Sarah Breeden, a deputy governor at the central bank, said in a BBC interview.
bbc.com
How does it affect me if share prices fall?
Changes in the FTSE 100 and other indexes are not just for financial experts, they can affect our lives.
bbc.com
Stock markets are too high and set to fall, says Bank of England deputy
It is unusual for a senior figure at the Bank to be so forthright on market movements.
bbc.com
Meta to cut one in 10 jobs after spending billions on AI
The cuts, which employees had been expecting for weeks, will be Meta's largest layoff since 2023.
theguardian.com
Homes for sale in England with smart storage – in pictures
From a country cottage with double-height bookshelves to a new-build flat in London with ‘period’ panelling hiding tech Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Stocks and shares Isas: are they right for me, and where is best to invest?
Some people are put off by myriad investment options. Here is a guide to the key decisions to help you choose ‘Savvy Squirrel’ ad campaign looks to push Britons towards investingThe UK government is keen to encourage people to invest. If you are thinking of dipping your toe into the stock market, an Isa is often the best way, as it lets you protect any gains from tax. Here’s how to get started. Continue reading...
bbc.com
White House memo claims mass AI theft by Chinese firms
A memo from Michael Kratsios says firms, mainly in China, are wrongfully distilling US AI models.
bbc.com
US soldier charged after winning $400,000 betting on removal of Maduro
Gannon Ken Van Dyke allegedly made trades on Polymarket on the basis of classified information, the justice department says.
bbc.com
From scientist to silk farmer: India's silk industry renewal
Silk production is an increasingly high-tech business in India.
bbc.com
High street drug dealer sells cannabis to undercover reporter
Across the UK, shopfronts are being exploited by criminal gangs pushing illegal drugs, experts say.
theguardian.com
BP’s chair deserved a kick for his silly obstinacy over shareholder resolution
Albert Manifold and his board refused to put a request from investor group on annual meeting agenda – leading to an investor revoltBP has fresh faces in the boardroom and a rigged strategy: it’s pivoting back to oil and gas and away from its low-carbon assets in an attempt to improve a weak share price. One can agree or disagree with the approach. But it was a silly act of overreach for a newish chair to try to stifle debate on such matters.That, in effect, was what Albert Manifold did when he excluded a resolution for Thursday’s annual meeting from Follow This, a Dutch investor group. The proposal itself cannot be described as explosive. It was pitched in investor-friendly terms and would merely have obliged BP to describe how it would protect shareholder value if demand for oil and gas falls. Nor is Follow This some two-bob outfit within the ranks of climate groups. It was claiming support from investors with $1tn under management. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Anthropic’s Claude Mythos: when AI finds every flaw, who controls the internet? | Editorial
Tech can scale cyber-attacks and defences alike, raising questions about private power, public risk and the future of a shared internetAnthropic announced its latest AI model, Claude Mythos, this month but said it would not be released publicly, because it turns computers into crime scenes. The company claimed that it could find previously unknown “zero-day” flaws, exploit them and, in principle, link these weaknesses in order to take over major operating systems and web browsers. Mythos did so autonomously, writing code and obtaining privileges. The implications are significant. It’s like a burglar being able to target any building, get inside, unlock every door and empty every safe.The Silicon Valley company has so far named 40 organisations as partners under Project Glasswing to help mount a defence – asking them to “patch” vulnerabilities before hackers get a chance to exploit them. All are American, sitting at the heart of the US-led digital system. Anthropic shared Mythos with only Britain outside the US, allowing the AI Security Institute to test frontier models. After seeing it up close, British ministers warned: AI is about to make cyber-attacks much easier and faster, and most businesses are not ready. Banks in Europe are likely to test it next.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on help to buy: entrenching housing inequalities, rather than helping | Editorial
The Tories’ flagship scheme has aided higher earners most. The latest analysis of its flaws should lead to a rethinkThe results are in. The biggest winners from the Conservatives’ help to buy scheme were high-earners who were already likely to buy a house. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) examined who benefited from the policy, and concluded that the top 10% of earners received the largest cash benefit. Rather than helping people to buy, it more likely helped the already fortunate to accumulate wealth quicker (by helping them buy earlier, or more expensive properties). Of course, this distorted the market: pushing prices up in some areas, and largely increasing competition rather than supply.That its flagship housing policy accelerated housing and wealth inequalities during a time when the government insisted deep cuts to public finances were needed is not just shocking – it underlines how deep the Tory project of redistribution went. In the 12 years to 2022-23, net spending by councils on housing, per person, was cut by 35%, while spending on planning and development was cut by a third – but clearly there was some cash to go around.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ben Jennings on the Met’s interest in using Palantir AI technology – cartoon
Discover and buy more of Ben’s cartoons hereOrder your own print of this cartoon from the Guardian Print Shop Continue reading...
bbc.com
Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $111bn takeover
The approval came as Donald Trump is to attend a dinner with billionaire Paramount backers the Ellisons.
bbc.com
What the Warner Bros deal could mean for streaming, cinemas and news
If Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros goes ahead it could significantly reshape Hollywood.
theguardian.com
Campaign launched to reunite young Britons with forgotten savings accounts
HMRC is contacting 21-year-olds as part of a new awareness drive around lost child trust funds, with an average balance of £2,200Rather than demanding money, HMRC is giving it away for once with a new campaign to reunite thousands of young Britons with forgotten savings accounts typically containing £2,200.HM Revenue and Customs is contacting 21-year-olds as part of a new awareness drive around lost child trust funds (CTF) – the tax-free savings accounts set up for children born between September 2002 and January 2011. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Europe's summer travel is on the line as airlines' jet fuel supply dwindles
Europe faces jet fuel shortages as the Middle East supply is cut off. Airlines may have to cut flights and raise fares ahead of peak summer travel.
bbc.com
Asbestos toy warnings
Asbestos toy warnings
bbc.com
UK borrowing lowest for three years but Iran war clouds outlook
The improvement in government finances is unlikely to last, analysts say, with the impact of the Iran way yet to hit.
bbc.com
Four arrested over suspected home insulation scheme fraud
The Serious Fraud Office raided homes and businesses over alleged conspiracy to defraud public money.
theguardian.com
Footage purportedly shows Iranian forces seize two vessels in the strait of Hormuz - video
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released footage purportedly showing its forces seizing two vessels in the strait of Hormuz and escorting them to Iranian shores. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said the two ships attempted 'to exit the strait of Hormuz covertly'. The White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump did not consider the capture of the ships to be a violation of the US-Iran ceasefire because the vessels were not American or Israeli• Middle East crisis – live updates Continue reading...
bbc.com
Asos demands £7m from US as firms rush to claim tariff refunds
Hundreds of thousands of firms could potentially win back some money after the tariffs were struck down.
theguardian.com
What would a permanent ‘Tehran’s tollbooth’ on oil mean for the world?
Iran’s plan to extract a $2m payment from tankers using the strait of Hormuz could raise costs for years to comeA second round of peace talks between the US and Iran has begun amid renewed attacks on oil tankers in the strait of Hormuz and a US blockade on Iranian vessels through the crucial trade route.The future of this narrow waterway – and curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme – are at the centre of the talks after Tehran’s de facto blockade on oil and gas tankers via the strait pushed up energy prices. Continue reading...
bbc.com
AI is already leading to fewer jobs for young people, says Sunak
The former prime minister said graduates' concerns about getting entry-level jobs are justified.
bbc.com
Watch: BBC goes undercover at mini-mart selling drugs
BBC UK editor Ed Thomas confronts a shopkeeper secretly filmed selling cannabis and cocaine to one of our researchers.
bbc.com
High Street mini-marts selling cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs, BBC secret filming reveals
Across the UK, shopfronts are being exploited by criminal gangs pushing illegal drugs, experts say.
theguardian.com
One ship, three deaths: the shocking truth behind working conditions on a Chinese fishing vessel
Damning testimony from the crew of one longline tuna-fishing boat has lifted the lid on the treatment of workers in the fleets supplying fish to the UK and EUAbdul was the first to fall sick, in February 2025, four months into his first ever stint on a longline tuna fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean. Told he was “weak” and “overreacting” by other crew members, he forced himself to keep working, even when he could barely stand, his legs swollen and bruised.In the months that followed, other crew members of the Tai Xiang 5, a Chinese vessel belonging to Shandong Zhonglu Oceanic Fisheries, a large state-owned fishing company, allegedly began to suffer similar symptoms: swollen, painful limbs and debilitating weakness, with some becoming very short of breath. They were offered no proper medical care, claims Abdul, 36, nor rest from the gruelling 16-hour days, for which they earned 4.6m Indonesian rupiah (about £198) a month. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
CEO of Southeast Asia’s largest bank shares what keeps her up at night
For DBS CEO Tan Su Shan, the biggest risk keeping her up at night is not just market volatility or geopolitical shocks, but cyberattacks.
cnbc.com
Step aside Tesla, BYD: Japanese carmakers deepen their hold on India's auto market with hybrids
In the world's third-largest auto market, demand for hybrid cars is racing ahead of EVs, deepening the hold of Japanese carmakers in India.
theguardian.com
The ‘big durian’: one day in Jakarta, the world’s largest city
The UN has officially designated Jakarta the world’s largest city, home to 42 million. We explore a day in the life of the ‘big durian’.In December, the United Nations officially designated Jakarta the world’s largest city, hosting a staggering 42 million inhabitants. Michael Neilson speaks to several people who call the ‘big durian’ home – about the positives and the negatives – and how community and the city’s infamously dry humour get them through. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How a pivot to hair accessories led to business success
Jenny Lennick's colourful hair clips are sold across the US and around the world.
bbc.com
China weathered Trump's tariffs - but the Iran war is taking a toll
The Middle East conflict is putting pressure on factory orders, costs and jobs in China's export-driven economy.
bbc.com
Billionaire backer sues Trump family's crypto firm over alleged extortion
Billionaire investor Justin Sun is suing the family's World Liberty crypto venture after spending $45m on its tokens.
bbc.com
Inflation: What do price increases mean for you?
Prices went up by 3.3% in March, but what does that mean for you asks the BBC's Colletta Smith.
bbc.com
Lufthansa cuts 20,000 summer flights as fuel prices surge
The airline is the latest to cut flights as the US-Israel war with Iran sends jet fuel prices soaring.
theguardian.com
‘A well-known secret’: inside Toronto’s violent tow truck wars
A string of violent incidents, including shootings and trucks set on fire, has been linked to Toronto’s towing industryWhen Cameron moved his family to a suburb north of Toronto last year, neighbours told him it one of the safest streets in the area. The roads were lined with cream-brick houses and manicured lawns. In summer, kids played between driveways; in winter, they dug tunnels through snowbanks.But any hope of a peaceful life on Allison Ann Way was shattered when a house across the street was shot at four times in five months. The most recent attack came in early February, as Cameron was leaving for work. Moments after his children had headed out for school, gunfire tore into the neighbour’s garage and a dark SUV sped off. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How Bolivia’s cacao farmers took on the gold-mining industry – and won
As rising gold prices fuel environmental destruction, communities in the country’s biodiverse heartland are passing laws against mining Mahogany trees tower above Herminio Mamani as he tends his cacao farm in Bolivia’s biodiverse north-west. A former president of El Ceibo, the country’s largest organic cacao co-operative, he says the agroforestry model used by its 1,300 members is vital not only to maintain the quality of the cacao they grow, which is used for chocolate and other products, but also for keeping gold mining at bay.“We cacao producers would never kill an animal here,” he says, parrots squawking nearby. “The parcels [of land] can never be monocultures – all the crops grow together.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Three ways the latest inflation figures affect you
How high could inflation get? And what could it mean for borrowers and savers around the country?
bbc.com
McDonald's boss on abuse claims: 'I don't want to talk about the past'
A BBC investigation in 2023 heard from more than 100 McDonald's workers in the UK claiming they faced sexual assault, harassment, racism, and bullying
theguardian.com
‘Get back to work’: Amazon faces fresh scrutiny over workplace safety record
Workers and labor advocates say the company’s injury rates and how it treats injured staff remain a problemAmazon, one of the world’s largest employers, has for years faced scrutiny over its safety record. When Billy Foister, a 48-year-old worker, died after a heart attack inside one of the tech giant’s warehouses in September 2019, managers were accused of telling staff to “get back to work”.When another worker died this month at a distribution center in Troutdale, Oregon, an Amazon spokesperson claimed they had collapsed from an “existing medical issue”. They denied a report that a nearby employee was told: “Please get back to work.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK inflation rises after Iran war pushes up fuel prices
The figures provide the first official look at the impact of the Iran war on the cost of living in the UK.
theguardian.com
Kevin Warsh accused of being Trump's 'sock puppet' as senators grill Fed chair nominee – video
During Warsh's confirmation hearing, Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren expressed concerns that Federal Reserve nominee would become a 'sock puppet' for Donald Trump. Republican senator John Kennedy also asked Warsh to deny he would be the president's 'sock puppet', which he did Continue reading...
bbc.com
The 'dumb machine' promising a clean energy breakthrough
A stellarator is difficult to build, but could it be the best way to make fusion energy work?
bbc.com
Are insider traders making millions from the Iran war?
The BBC has found suspicious trading patterns that correlate with some of the president's most market-moving statements.
bbc.com
Why your recycled clothes could end up in this South American desert
Old garments from around the world are being discarded in the South American country.
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
bbc.com
Could a digital twin make you into a 'superworker'?
Firms say digital twins make staff more productive, but are they a potential legal minefield?
bbc.com
Back to books - Sweden's schools cutting back on digital learning
Swedish classrooms swap laptops for books, pens and paper, raising concerns from the tech sector.
bbc.com
Quantum computing: A tech race Europe could win?
With some promising computing companies in the field, could Europe be a leader in quantum tech?
bbc.com
The Dutch village at risk of being demolished
Moerdijk has been earmarked for removal, to make way for a vast electricity substation.
bbc.com
'Every drop of water counts': Fear for the future of Argentina's glaciers
A controversial law to ease protections for the glaciers has passed, opening the doors for mining.
bbc.com
TV for dogs booms but are they watching?
TV channels for dogs are multiplying but research is mixed on whether dogs are watching.
bbc.com
The construction boss who built a new life after three years in prison
Traci Quinn, who was jailed for a drugs offence, has transformed herself and set up a successful firm.
bbc.com
The US refinery now processing Venezuelan oil
Chevron is now importing 250,000 barrels of crude per day from Venezuela.
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
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